Retainers

Orthodontic Retention

You've worked hard for your beautiful smile. Now, let's keep it that way!

Finally, your active treatment is finished and you have a beautiful smile! However, your orthodontic journey isn’t quite completed. To keep your smile looking its best, you’ll have to wear a retainer to preserve your results. Retainers are needed to control or limit potential changes in tooth position. They are used after braces treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscle adjust to the new positioning of your teeth. Retainers are also important to prevent shifting that normally occurs as a result of aging.

Types of Retainers

​Retainers are custom-made and can be removable or fixed.

Traditional removable retainers ( Hawley )typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits in the roof of the mouth.

Aligner-style retainers, or Essix retainers, look similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. These retainers are produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth and have an average life span of 12 months.

Fixed retainers consist of wires bonded behind the bottom and/or top teeth. While the device is usually required no more than a year after wisdom teeth have been extracted, it is often kept in place for life.

Hours

Dr. Ferreira and his team offer the latest technology in dental braces and Invisalign clear aligners for children, teens and , adults. Known in the Anniston – Oxford , AL area for delivering Beautiful Results, Outstanding Customer Service and Affordable Payment Plans.